"TEAMS AND CAPTAINS ANNOUNCED FOR THE OPEN CHAMPIONS CHALLENGE"

Even though Seve can't make it and Jack has said his St. Andrews goodbye, they've assembled a stellar field for Wednesday, July 14th's pre Open Champions Challenge.

Each team will have a captain for the Challenge.  The captains of the seven teams are the most senior competitors.  Peter Thomson, whose team of Tiger Woods, Sir Nick Faldo and Mark Calcavecchia boasts a total of 12 Open Championships between them, will be a non-playing captain as he is unable to play for medical reasons.
 
The winning team will be presented with a cheque for £50,000 to be donated to charities of their choice.
 
“We anticipate a very special occasion”, said David Hill, The R&A’s Director of Championships.  “I am sure all supporters of The Open Championship will be excited by the prospect of seeing so many legends of the game make their way around the Old Course’s natural arena”
 
The Pipes and Drums of The Black Watch 3rd Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland, one of the world’s most celebrated pipe-bands, will get the event underway at 3.10pm on Wednesday 14 July before play begins at 3.40pm.
 
Tickets are still available for Wednesday with a ticket providing full access to the course to see players practise as well as for The Open Champions Challenge.  Large crowds are anticipated and spectators may wish to book now to avoid queues at the pay gates.
 
Ticket Prices
Adults £40
65+ yrs £30
16-21 yrs £20
Under 16 yrs — Free of charge
 
Format
The Open Champions Challenge will be played over holes 1, 2, 17 & 18 of The Old Course.  The best score recorded at each hole by an individual player will count as the team score.
 
TEAM AS FOLLOWS (Captains in Bold)
 
3:40     Roberto de Vicenzo
            Ben Curtis
            Tom Lehman
            Sandy Lyle
 
3:52     Peter Thomson
            Mark Calcavecchia
            Sir Nick Faldo
            Tiger Woods
 
4:04     Arnold Palmer
            Ian Baker-Finch
            Stewart Cink
            Mark O’Meara
 
4:16     Gary Player
            Todd Hamilton
            Justin Leonard
            Greg Norman
 
4:28     Bob Charles
            John Daly
            David Duval
            Bill Rogers
 
4:40     Lee Trevino
            Padraig Harrington
            Tony Jacklin
            Paul Lawrie
 
4:52     Tom Weiskopf
            Ernie Els
            Tom Watson

"It has a little bit to do with the ball."

In Doug Ferguson's account of Tiger's switch to a slightly harder cover in preparation for the Open Championship, it is suggested that his improved driving distance is a combination of ball and improved mechanics.

"The more I keep playing, the better I get," Woods said Saturday after recovering from an atrocious start to shoot even-par 70, making up little ground in the AT&T National. "It has a little bit to do with the ball."

Woods still uses a One Tour, this ball marked with a star symbol between the two words. He started using it this week at Aronimink, most likely as part of his preparations for the British Open in two weeks at St. Andrews, where the wind is often a major factor.

The world's No. 1 player often has talked about how he uses one of the softest golf balls on tour, which gives him greater control around the greens. This version would be helpful in windy conditions because it spins less.

This is the real eye-opener:

Once among the longest hitters in golf, Woods was 21st in driving distance last year. Going into the AT&T National, he was ranked 78th based on two measured drives per round. Through two rounds on a fast, firm Aronimink course, Woods was leading the tournament in driving distance at just over 328 yards.

His additional length was most evident during the second round, when he was playing with Dustin Johnson. On consecutive holes, Woods hit one drive 26 yards past Johnson, and another 10 yards past him. Both led to birdies.

So, we've heard all of these years that the ball is not the real reason for distance gains over the last decade. And we've been told that rolling back the Overall Distance Standard via new ball rules would be complicated and in general, not feasible. Yet here we have Tiger switching balls (and perhaps improving his swing), but we are seeing a serious difference in his driving distance with a simple switch.

Why can't we contemplate a future with a ball that has the characteristics of the pellet Tiger's been using?  A little spinnier, but sharing many of the components that make the modern ball last longer?

Rose Leads By Four: World Braces For Next Jim Nantz Reading Of A Floral-Themed Apropos Lyric

Should Justin Rose go on to win his second PGA Tour event in three starts and set himself up as a favorite heading into the Open Championship, it's hard to imagine a more emotional reading than last time.

But in the interest of helping out Jim Nantz's assistant, would anyone care to nominate their favorite rose-themed song for possible inclusion in tomorrow's final round AT&T National telecast?

Which Apocalyptic Sign Is This?

Nine remaining contestants will receive a surprise visit from course designer Greg Norman for the opening challenge, with the winners receiving immunity to the next episode.  For the remaining contestants, the popular “glass break challenge” returns, followed by an emotional challenge that will eliminate one contestant from the series.  Each player is competing to win her “Big Break” – tournament sponsor exemptions to the Lorena Ochoa Invitational presented by Bamanex and Corona Light on the LPGA Tour and the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters on the Ladies European Tour.

So does this speak to the state of Greg Norman's image and course design career that he's resorting to reality show appearances at courses he's designed, or is this just how watched and followed the "Big Break" series has become?

Judging by the story on Norman's site, this appears to be a badge of honor...

The 13th season of Golf Channel's popular series, Big Break, premieres on Monday, June 21st at the 18-hole, Greg Norman-designed golf course at Sandals Emerald Bay, Great Exuma, Bahamas - the newest Luxury Included® Sandals Resort. Featuring an all-female cast of 11 aspiring professional golfers, the 10-episode reality series showcases the contestants competing against one another in a variety of physical and mental challenges. During Big Break Sandals Resorts, one contestant is eliminated each week, with the final player receiving a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to earn a sponsor's exemption to the Lorena Ochoa Invitational and the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters.

"European skipper Colin Montgomerie has revealed he will wait until after The Open at St Andrews to confirm his two vice-captains for the Ryder Cup."

I know you're disappointed at this news. Maybe he's just waiting to talk to Faldo?

"Probably the best bankrupt golf course"

I remember when this place was the next great course, Jack's masterpiece, etc...amazing.

"It was confirmed that because he did nothing illegal, he is not the subject of any criminal investigation."

Interesting confirmation from Mark Steinberg that Tiger met with the FBI.

"Tiger willingly spoke to the authorities and cooperated fully," Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, said in an e-mail to the Associated Press Wednesday. "It was confirmed that because he did nothing illegal, he is not the subject of any criminal investigation. Because there is an ongoing investigation involving others, there will be no further comment."

"While this scenario could cause consternation for many players, it will be the choices of a chosen few which are dissected and analyzed, celebrated and criticized."

Jason Sobel makes a strong case against the PGA Tour's proposed "designated tournament" option to improve fields at events not drawing stars. Sobel's point? This is all really about Tiger and Phil and therefore, is a waste of time.

While this scenario could cause consternation for many players, it will be the choices of a chosen few which are dissected and analyzed, celebrated and criticized.

It is because of this that should such a law be enacted, it could hardly cause a ripple on the PGA Tour, save for one or two more events being played by one or two more superstar competitors.

"Everybody seems to refer to this as a Tiger and Phil issue; it's really not," said PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem, who intimated that details of the plan wouldn't be ironed out for a few months. "It's really about having a representative number of top players week in and week out."

That's some solid commish-speak, but the simple fact is, not many other guys can move the needle. Let's face it: Nobody is buying tickets to watch Scott Verplank. No one is clamoring for more Tim Clark. No offense to either player -- each of whom is ranked in the top 50 on both the OWGR and the FedEx points list -- but if this rule is being built to showcase the big names at more venues, it might as well be referred to as the Tiger-Phil Formula.

Donald Gets Green Light To Build "The world's greatest golf course"

Has anyone ever declared they were building the world's greatest before starting construction?

"My team will (now) finally get to work and build the world's greatest golf course for Scotland and for the great game of golf," Trump said in a news release.

"We are building on the finest piece of land I have ever seen and we will turn it into a national jewel," added Trump who possesses several championship courses around the world.